...It was mistletoe and holly! The 'Homes for the Holidays' Christmas House Tour was stupendous! If you missed it, you have my sincere sympathy, but visit our Picasa photo album for a taste of the tour--just click on the title of this blog entry.
It began with a quartet caroling to the strains of a guitar in an old carriage house renovated and modernized to accommodate a family comfortably. The owner is a gardener, and her style of decorating for Christmas is a very natural one, "just in from the garden", so to speak, with an abundance of natural materials to grace,among other objects, the mantel with its warming fire and the entry to the home.
"When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things--not the great occasions--give off the greatest glow of happiness" ~Bob Hope
From there it progressed to an 1890 home enlarged and brought up-to-date by a family that homeschools the children and keeps sheep and a mini-goat who keep the grass trimmed and provide wool for crafting. Of course, the whole operation has to be organic for the little lawn mowers to stay healthy! The decorating style here is basically "leave no object untouched by Christmas! Here our guests were treated to eggnog.
"Christmas is the keeping place for the memories of our innocence." ~Joan Mills
Third was a lovely Craftsman-style home, cozy and warm with a roaring fire and a table so seductively set for Christmas dinner that you almost expected to sit down to roast goose with all the trimmings. The decor was festive, but elegantly restrained, leaving the period furnishings to shine on their own.
"God Bless us, every one." ~Tiny Tim (Charles Dickens)
The entrancing circa 1927 home up next captures the heart of all who see it. While not a very large house, it boasts not one, but two, sun porches and is flooded with light from sunrise to sunset all year 'round. The tree, cut by the owners, has the place of honor right inside the front door. With their decorating, they try to evoke Christmas in a simpler time, but with no shortage of simpler decor!
"Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under a tree." ~Charlotte Carpenter
At the fifth home the joyful abundance of multicolored lights belied the tininess of the cottage belonging to a young couple. The wife is an artist, so our guests enjoyed an art show along with favors created by some members of the tour committee. Guests could choose either macadamia nut brittle, a ball of mulling spices, or a packet of bay leaves. We do appreciate our guests!
"Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas." ~Peg Bracken
Last, but certainly not least, the 1917 Arts and Crafts Tudor-style home offered a glimpse of Christmas past with its old-fashioned lit village-in-the-snow scene and a toy box filled with antique toys among the greens and numerous candles. The aroma of cookies and cider beckoned guests into the kitchen. Garden club volunteers had baked I don't know how many. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say a couple thousand.
"One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don't clean it up too quickly. ~Andy Rooney
